This Mortal Envelope

This project is rooted in the historical use of print as a tool of communication and its outcome was shaped by public participation. I created a suite of multi-plate images (stage sets) and then added different elements (actors) to create a collection of 20 prints.  In exhibition, the audience were invited to interpret the prints and to curate a collection of four pictures based on their personal responses. Each reorganisation of the prints created opportunities for new narratives and temporal connections.

As in all my work, the process I chose was not just means to an end, but also imbued with my intentions and interests. Photolithography allowed me to unite traditional drawing practises with photographic and scanned elements. This fusing of the historic and contemporary echoes the origin of the drawings which sprung from the daily collision of the personal and political. The kernels of images in the suite were formed amidst daily news stories, media comment and conversations overheard on public transport. I am always aware of our fragile nature and how we are susceptible to being tossed around by our nature, our histories and our relationships.

Just as we regularly reform our relationship with the world around us, I am always looking to reconfigure drawing practises and ‘this mortal envelope’ will continue to evolve.